Splash
by Rubious
Summary: Shoujo ai. Milly Meryl. Milly makes a decision that alters her relationship with her partner and catches Meryl in an intimate moment.


Title: Splash

Author: Rubious

Rating: R

Pairing: Milly + Meryl

Warnings: shoujo ai, sexual situations, angst, AU-OOC

Disclaimer: Trigun @ Nightow. This story is a work of fanfiction and is for entertainment purposes only.

Archive: Fanfiction.net under "Rubious", Mediaminer.org under "Rubious2", and at my home page.

Notes: Milly catches Meryl in an intimate moment.

//thoughts//

* * *

Leaning back against the edge of the oversized bathtub, Meryl Stryfe closed her eyes and sighed dreamily as she luxuriated in the water's warmth.  While she was lost in reverie, the woman did not hear the sound of the door to her hotel room opening.

Outside in the corridor, Milly Thompson retrieved her room key and inserted it into the lock of the door to the hotel room she shared with Meryl. The brunette was returning from an evening at the Angst Theater where she caught a film about an unlikely friendship, "Artful Business." The two lead actors were fascinating and quite attractive as well. //Meryl would've agreed the stars were delicious eye candy.//

She had a different opinion of the film that preceded it, a sneak preview of "Bullseye". If the producers were aiming for a female audience, they missed the target by a wide margin. It was geared towards projecting men's sexual fantasies. Milly snickered at the image of Wolfwood watching the movie with one hand massaging his groin. 

//I wish Meryl could have joined me tonight. It would've been great to have a girls' night out.// Milly mused about her partner who had chosen to spend the night by herself relaxing and enjoying a hot bath. It was a rare opportunity for the insurance investigators to unwind from their around-the-clock assignment of preventing any more catastrophic losses caused by Vash the Stampede. Thankfully, their friend, Nicholas Wolfwood had assured them he would keep Vash out of trouble while the two men visited the orphanage the preacher supported with the donations he solicited during his travels.

As she unlocked the door, Milly heard moans coming from the direction of the bathroom. The first thought that crossed her mind was of concern for Meryl, hoping that she wasn't injured.//I wonder if she's all right.//

The two women shared a close and personal friendship and a fondness for each other that existed on several levels. Milly felt a deeper and growing romantic attraction for her petite partner. What had begun as respect for a colleague had evolved into unstated romantic feelings that were waiting to be unveiled. Finding herself at an emotional crossroads, Milly paused to consider which path to take; whichever one she chose would have life-altering consequences.

What unsettled the usually cheerful brunette was the uncertainty in not knowing what Meryl's reaction to the admission of Milly's feelings towards her. If she reacted negatively, then a trusting relationship would be shattered. Each woman would have lost her closest friend and confidante. It would also extend to the workplace because one of them would certainly be recalled to the Bernardelli home office once the company learned of the dispute between the investigators that would prevent them from working together in an amicable fashion. 

If Meryl responded favorably, the duo could explore the realm of possibilities that lie ahead and expand their relationship into an entirely new direction. 

While she inwardly hoped for a positive reply, Milly did regret never telling her friend about her bisexuality in the past. When she was in college, the brunette had had an intense fling with another woman who then became her lover for a short time. After the affair Milly had gained valuable insight in the knowledge that she could experience sexual and emotional relationships with both genders.

Milly resolved to plunge ahead and admit her feelings to Meryl. The older woman meant more to her than just being a colleague and a friend. //She's very special to me and she is worth taking the risk for in my personal and professional lives. This isn't going to be a one-night stand in a seedy boardinghouse. Being with Meryl would be quite different than making love with Mr. Priest. Sure, he's very skilled, but there's something about a woman's touch.//

Shutting the door behind her, the woman dropped her purse, hurried over to the bathroom door, and knocked. Hearing only moans, Milly opened the door a crack and peered inside. She glimpsed the mirror was steamed up and her gaze shifted to see the older woman reclining in the tub, murmuring softly, her eyes closed and her cheeks flushed.

Milly's smile widened at the sight of her closest friend basking in the afterglow of the intimate moment. //Meryl certainly looks so peaceful. She must've released all of the stress and tension she's been feeling lately from keeping tabs on Mr. Vash.// Seeing her partner in a relaxed state, the younger woman decided that this was the best opportunity for her to discuss the touchy subject that she had been contemplating. Besides, the bathroom would afford them some privacy.

After quietly removing her shoes and socks, Milly eased into the room furtively with a silent grace of a pirouetting ballerina on center stage. As her partner soaked in the tub oblivious to her presence, Milly felt comfortable seeing Meryl in her current state. The two women had seen each other in various stages of undress in their apartment and in the boardinghouse rooms they shared when traveling. 

Milly didn't believe it was a big deal to enter the bathroom while her roommate was bathing When she was growing up, her older sisters would occasionally intrude when she was bathing because there was only one bathroom available. 

An unspoken sexual tension existed between the two female investigators and remained to be addressed. Milly had passed the turning point; she couldn't retreat from her course of action now. 

As she stood a few feet from the porcelain bathtub, she took a deep breath and gazed at the woman before asking softly, "Meryl, are you all right?"

The sound of another voice startled Meryl from her bliss. Blue-gray eyes flew open as she uttered a short scream. "Milly!" Blushing, she chopped at the water with her hand, sending a wave of suds and water that drenched the voyeur. To preserve her modesty, she sank lower beneath the bubbles to shield herself from prying eyes.

The brunette didn't flinch when the water struck her. It dripped off her body onto the tiled floor, puddling at her feet. Speaking gently, Milly explained, "When I came back from the movies just now, I heard some noises in here and I thought you might be hurt."  

Stepping back, Milly continued to the embarrassed woman, "I'm sorry I caught you at the wrong moment, but I was concerned for your safety."

Any fury she might have felt vanished from Meryl's face as her expression softened with her apology, "I'm sorry for getting you soaking wet. You startled me."

"It's all right," the brunette replied sweetly, although her sapphire eyes twinkled mischievously.  //She must have had quite a sexy dream. I can see it in her eyes.// Milly noted the passion-filled dilation of her partner's eyes.

Stunned to see the other woman beginning to unbutton her drenched cotton blouse, Meryl blurted out, "What do you think you're doing?"

Continuing to undress, Milly answered, "I have to get out of these wet clothes before I get a chill. The robes and towels are in here anyway."

"Um, I'll look the other way then," she said, sensing that her friend was behaving differently towards her. //Was something bothering Milly? She seems to be reluctant in wanting to discuss it with me.//

While she averted her eyes, Meryl reflected on her close friend. The two women felt a connection that existed on several planes. They lived together; they worked and traveled together, but each had separate love interests, Meryl with Vash and Milly with Wolfwood. Meryl was sexually compatible with the blond gunman, but he was remiss in fulfilling her emotional needs. //Maybe Milly could be an alternative to make up for his shortcomings? She already knows me better than anyone else, but I'd never before considered her a potential lover. I've never done it with a woman before. I wonder if that is what's bothering her?"

"You can look now," Milly said cheerfully, interrupting Meryl's inner thoughts. 

Hearing the rustle of fabric, her head turned as blue-gray eyes glanced at the pile of discarded garments on the tiled floor and then traveled to the sight of her best friend standing before her wearing nothing but a smile. 

"Was there something you wanted to ask me?" Meryl inquired.

"Is there room for two in there?" Milly asked invitingly with a wink, gesturing to the oversized capacity of the tub that could easily hold two people. 

Meryl nodded. "Sure. Come on in, the water's nice and warm."  //Talking face-to-face might end this dancing around.//

Milly stepped into the tub and sat facing the other woman. The two women splashed water playfully at each other.  "Milly!" Meryl exclaimed as the brunette tossed a soapy sponge at her.

"Would you like me to wash your back?" the younger woman asked.

"That'd be wonderful. Thank you," she said. 

As Meryl shifted positions in the tub, she felt Milly's fingertips brush gently against her lower back and shoulder, sending tingles shooting through her body. 

Each woman felt too nervous to broach the subject that desperately needed to be addressed. Glancing back, Meryl met her partner's adoring gaze and said hesitantly,  "Milly…"

An evening that began with a personal moment had blossomed into an intimacy shared between the two women, who were the closest of friends and might be something more in the future.

* * *

The End

Author's Notes

[1] Milly and Meryl are two of my favorite characters and I enjoy writing their interactions. They make a good pairing and I wanted to tell a story that explores their relationship. There are subtle hints in the anime to suggest shoujo ai between them. It's a shame that shoujo ai is underrepresented in Trigun fandom.

[2] For updates on future fanfiction and works in progress, please check out my Live Journal at www.livejournal.com/~weisshund.


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